This is the best rap album of the year so far. There is just no way around it. Seattle-born rapper Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis have taken brilliant, soulful production, and blended it with thought-provoking and intuitive lyricism to concoct a magnificent creation. Macklemore released his first album in 2005, "The Language of my World," but took a break from music shortly after to deal with a drug and alcohol dependency. In 2010, he teamed up with producer Ryan Lewis to release an EP titled "VS. Redux." "The Heist" is Macklemore's second full length album, and it appears as if the 29-year-old from Seattle is just getting started.
The album begins with "Ten Thousand Hours,"and the listener immediately feels Lewis's presence, with clear, penetrating synths that really kick into gear once the drums start clapping. Macklemore discusses his come-up, discussing comparisons to David Bowie and Kanye West. "Can't Hold Us Down" and "Thrift Shop" are extremely unique, with Mack rapping about being an independent artist and his style. On the latter he raps, "Rollin in hella deep headed to the mezzanine/Dressed in all pink cept' my gator shoes those are green, draped in a leopard mink, girls standin next to me."
The true winner on this album is "Same Love," where a somber Macklemore deals with the topic of gay marriage, something almost never spoken about in rap music today. "Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board/A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it/A gay is synonymous with the lesser/It’s the same hate that’s caused wars from religion." It is the stand-out on the album, and one of the best songs of the year.
Mack also deals with his drug addiction problems on songs like "Neon Cathedral" and "Starting Over." Macklemore strips away all the glamour, and dives into a subject that almost killed him. The listener can tell how honest he is being, and over emotional beats by Lewis, the songs are incredible. Other stand-outs include "Jimmy Iovine" which features the talented Ab-Soul, and "Wings" where a children's choir harmonizes on the hook.
With rap today being all about strippers, money, and drugs, it is certainly nice to see a break from the norm. Most rappers however have a hard time succeeding in doing so. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis do succeed, but it is more than that. They have crafted an album so pure and honest, it makes other rappers today look like jokes. This is by far the best rap album of the year, and I believe it deserves the elusive title of "classic."
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Cruel Summer Review
Kanye West has been known throughout the years as being one of the most detail oriented perfectionists music has ever seen. Each album he has released has shown off that perfection, with West blending crisp production with brilliant song structure and meticulous lyricism. That is why West's new project, his label G.O.O.D Music's "Cruel Summer" is a true disappointment. It is that perfection for which Mr. West has been known for, that ultimately kills this album.
The album starts with "To The World," a shoot for the stars record with R. Kelly screaming the hook through unnecessary auto-tune. The production value is positive, however, Kelly's hook ruins an otherwise solid verse from West. The next two tracks, "Clique" and "Mercy" are as catchy as they come. The former is the best cut off the album, with Jay-Z and 'Ye bringing the track home with outstanding flow and witty lyricism. After "New God Flow" and "The Morning," both extremely solid records, the album begins to take a turn for the worst.
"Cold" is just annoying, and having DJ Khaled on there shouting like he normally does, is not helping. "Higher" and "Sin City" are just mediocre, and despite solid verses from Ma$e and Cyhi the Prynce, the two records just fall short. "The One" is a classic Kanye record, with a beautiful piano synth and uplifting lyrics from Big Sean and Kanye himself. Where the song falls short is when 2 Chainz appears, rapping about absolutely nothing and taking away the momentum the track had. "Creepers," "Bliss," and "I Don't Like (Remix)" wrap up the album in a completely negative way. It is as if West was rushing to get the album completed, and just stuck these three songs in there.
Perhaps this album is a victim to its own expectations. With a track record like West's, it is a disappointment when any album he puts out is not a classic. This record however does not come close to West's previous work. It is disorganized, exhibits disjointed lyricism, and overall does not have the same production value we as fans have come to expect from Kanye West. G.O.O.D Music is still one of the most talented rosters in rap today, but this uneven album does not do a good enough job proving it.
2.5 / 5
The album starts with "To The World," a shoot for the stars record with R. Kelly screaming the hook through unnecessary auto-tune. The production value is positive, however, Kelly's hook ruins an otherwise solid verse from West. The next two tracks, "Clique" and "Mercy" are as catchy as they come. The former is the best cut off the album, with Jay-Z and 'Ye bringing the track home with outstanding flow and witty lyricism. After "New God Flow" and "The Morning," both extremely solid records, the album begins to take a turn for the worst.
"Cold" is just annoying, and having DJ Khaled on there shouting like he normally does, is not helping. "Higher" and "Sin City" are just mediocre, and despite solid verses from Ma$e and Cyhi the Prynce, the two records just fall short. "The One" is a classic Kanye record, with a beautiful piano synth and uplifting lyrics from Big Sean and Kanye himself. Where the song falls short is when 2 Chainz appears, rapping about absolutely nothing and taking away the momentum the track had. "Creepers," "Bliss," and "I Don't Like (Remix)" wrap up the album in a completely negative way. It is as if West was rushing to get the album completed, and just stuck these three songs in there.
Perhaps this album is a victim to its own expectations. With a track record like West's, it is a disappointment when any album he puts out is not a classic. This record however does not come close to West's previous work. It is disorganized, exhibits disjointed lyricism, and overall does not have the same production value we as fans have come to expect from Kanye West. G.O.O.D Music is still one of the most talented rosters in rap today, but this uneven album does not do a good enough job proving it.
2.5 / 5
Monday, September 10, 2012
Eminem to work with No I.D.
One of the best hip-hop producers ever has announced that he will be working with Eminem.
No I.D. has produced for legends such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas. Now it seems like the Chicago icon will be working with Slim Shady himself.
"I definitely sat down and spoke with Eminem about working and we agreed to get in the studio and see what we could do," said No I.D.
Eminem has stated recently that he has been working on his new LP and that fans should expect it sometime next year. Eminem's last album, "Recovery," went five times platinum.
No I.D. has produced for legends such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas. Now it seems like the Chicago icon will be working with Slim Shady himself.
"I definitely sat down and spoke with Eminem about working and we agreed to get in the studio and see what we could do," said No I.D.
Eminem has stated recently that he has been working on his new LP and that fans should expect it sometime next year. Eminem's last album, "Recovery," went five times platinum.
3 Albums I'm Most Looking Forward To
The summer of 2012 was a somewhat down year for rap albums. While Nas and Slaughterhouse achieved fantastic records, other efforts were certain let downs. "God Forgives, I Don't" was supposed to be the Rick Ross album that fans had been waiting for ever since the husky rapper first broke into the mainstream. However, the album lacked original lyricism, and seemed to be just another Rick Ross album dealing with the same topics. 2 Chainz and DJ Khaled put out absolute garbage, albums that lacked substance and proved that rap music as a genre is heading in the completely wrong direction. With that said however, there are still a couple months until the end of the year, and highly anticipated records to be released. Here are the three I am most looking forward to:
1. "Cruel Summer"- G.O.O.D Music
Every rap fan already knows what they are going to get from a Kanye West led album. Fantastic production, witty lyricism, and a ton of features. With the success of the summer's biggest hit "Mercy," this album is sure to do well on Soundscan. Look out for guest appearances from John Legend, R. Kelly, and of course, Jay-Z. The album drops September 18.
2. "Good Kid, Mad City"- Kendrick Lamar
The Compton upstart put out a brilliant effort in last summer's "Section.80" and despite only being released on the internet, the album received overwhelming acclaim from critics. The record landed Lamar a deal with Dr. Dre's "Aftermath Music," and you can be sure the good doctor will provide K. Dot with some outstanding production. The album drops October 22.
3. "Bread and Circuses"- Saigon
Saigon has promised that this album will be a classic, and if it is anything like his first studio album, fans will be happy listeners. "The Greatest Story Never Told" was Saigon's oft-delayed debut, however it lived up to the hype, displaying brilliant production and raw, inspiring lyrics. Producer Just Blaze will be behind the boards again for this album, which promises to be another great record for the underrated talent. The album drops November 6.
1. "Cruel Summer"- G.O.O.D Music
Every rap fan already knows what they are going to get from a Kanye West led album. Fantastic production, witty lyricism, and a ton of features. With the success of the summer's biggest hit "Mercy," this album is sure to do well on Soundscan. Look out for guest appearances from John Legend, R. Kelly, and of course, Jay-Z. The album drops September 18.
2. "Good Kid, Mad City"- Kendrick Lamar
The Compton upstart put out a brilliant effort in last summer's "Section.80" and despite only being released on the internet, the album received overwhelming acclaim from critics. The record landed Lamar a deal with Dr. Dre's "Aftermath Music," and you can be sure the good doctor will provide K. Dot with some outstanding production. The album drops October 22.
3. "Bread and Circuses"- Saigon
Saigon has promised that this album will be a classic, and if it is anything like his first studio album, fans will be happy listeners. "The Greatest Story Never Told" was Saigon's oft-delayed debut, however it lived up to the hype, displaying brilliant production and raw, inspiring lyrics. Producer Just Blaze will be behind the boards again for this album, which promises to be another great record for the underrated talent. The album drops November 6.
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